Workload Analysis and Staffing Challenges in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Units Across Teaching Hospitals in North East Nigeria

Adequate staffing levels are prerequisite to the delivery of safe, efficient, and effective oral and maxillofacial surgical services. The North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria faces a documented shortage of specialist healthcare personnel, compounded by insecurity-related population displacement that has increased demand for trauma and reconstructive surgical care. This descriptive study conducts a workload analysis and staffing assessment in oral and maxillofacial surgery units at three teaching hospitals in the North East zone: University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi. Monthly case volume data for 2022 and 2023 were extracted from theatre registers and outpatient clinic records. Human resources data including the number of consultants, residents, and support staff were collected through structured facility assessments. Results indicate a combined annual surgical caseload of over 1,800 procedures across the three centers, served by only nine certified consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The national recommended surgeon-to-population ratio is severely breached across all three facilities. Emergency cases, particularly from conflict-affected areas of Borno and Adamawa States, create additional unplanned caseload pressure. The study calls for urgent workforce planning interventions including accelerated residency training, deployment of mid-level oral surgery practitioners, and financial incentives to attract and retain specialists in the North East zone. Keywords: staffing, workload, oral and maxillofacial surgery, North East Nigeria, workforce planning.